Wishful Thinking
by Razuhfy
Summary: Life has an interesting way of making the impossible, possible. Naruto is a prime example of this statement. What do you do when everything rests atop your shoulders and failure is no longer an option? Naruto's core beliefs will be challenged. Will that unwavering will falter or persevere? Harem
1. Unwavering Will

**AN: LISTEN!!¡¡ Before you get all mad and shit that I'm posting _another_ story just keep in mind that Age Is But A Number is very close to finishing.**

**This**** has been sitting in my drafts for about a month, so I figured I'd just release the first chapter and go from there.**

**Welcome**** to Wishful Thinking!**

**This was an idea I had for a bit and didn't really know how to proceed with it. Originally, this was going to be slythefoxx2's challenge fic called "The Council" but I scrapped the idea of actually doing it. (Sorry sly... I'm not really sorry but you know how I am.** **oink.)**

**All of my stories thus far have featured either a pessimistic, cynical, and or realistic Naruto. Some could argue about them being all 3 with morally grey elements, but I digress. This story will be completely different to my other works due to how Naruto's personality will be portrayed** **and the actions he will commit.**

**I**** want him to retain that 'Never give up' attitude with the optimistic and positive vibes similar to cannon but doing so more realistically. And yes, I'm aware that realism can get repetitive and boring but y'all know me.**

**I'm**** a God at this shit. (:**

**So enjoy! Or don't! I really don't give a shit either way. All of my old readers will already know this** **by now.**

**Also... This is a harem story. Don't ask who will be in it because you'll find out later, the first two will be pretty obvious and the third won't show up for a bit. The M A X I M U M number will be 3. I'm not going any higher.**

**_Don't_****_ fucking ask me to add more._**

**Join the bloody damn Discord Server. Invite code is StPc5Vp**

Disclaimer : Rauw Alejandro ft. Farruko - Fantasías

What is the meaning of life?

_Is _there a meaning to life?

For what reason does one wake up in the morning?

Is it hope?

The belief that one can achieve their goals and accomplish anything life throws at them as long as they keep preserving is an asinine concept to most in the Shinobi World.

Starvation and depression can change any man into a monster.

Every individual in the world is capable of violence and while some take this to extreme degrees, others choose to use it sparingly. Doing so only when circumstances out of their control descend upon them.

Being a pacifist in the Shinobi world would net you a quick death. If you lack the instinct to kill, you will _be_ killed.

The strong eat the weak and the cycle continues once more.

Challenging the hierarchy of the world was akin to suicide. You cannot fight violence with words and history has proven this time and time again.

A cycle of hate so deeply intertwined in the world that individuals with optimistic outlooks on life become targets of opportunity and are preyed on.

What was the meaning of life?

A question that Naruto rarely ever thought about.

Was it to make a positive impact on the world? Leaving a marker on the world that would exceed generations and be looked at with reverence...

_What was the meaning of life?_

Perhaps it was the giant Zanbato that was currently reorganizing his entrails that made Naruto stray to these thoughts.

A strangled scream tore through the boy's throat as his hands desperately clawed at the weapon that was currently embedded in his stomach.

"Persistent little shit, ain't ya?"

Despite the pain coursing through his abdomen Naruto managed a weak grin at the statement. "Y-yeah... People tell me it's... my best quality..."

If the masked man was amused by the boy's statement he did little to show it. As a matter of fact he just seemed more annoyed.

Which would probably get him killed even faster.

How had things gone so horribly wrong? It was supposed to be just a simple escort mission. Get this old, drunk bridge builder to his home and aid in the work he needed.

Instead of an easy mission they were now fighting for their very lives!

Sasuke and Sakura were dealing with Zabuza's apprentice and they were clearly struggling against the older girl. She even possessed a bloodline like Sasuke and was incredibly strong for her age.

Kakashi-sensei was currently fighting some unknown Kiri Nuke Nin who was with Zabuza and it was clear to Naruto that his Sensei wouldn't be here anytime soon.

And here he was... About to die! Because of the damn 7 foot sword that was currently destroying his stomach! He really did get the short end of the stick with this one.

Naruto's cerulean orbs bore into Zabuza's eyes for a single moment before a large gust of wind expelled from his mouth. The blond teen smirked as Zabuza was sent careening through a small tree.

He immediately placed his hand over his stomach before slowly trying to stand to his feet. He coughed several times before vomiting up a healthy amount of blood. Naruto fell to one knee as he teetered on the brink of unconsciousness.

This wasn't good... Not at all. He could barely even stand, let alone fight! What was he going to do?!

Sasuke and Sakura were _depending_ on him! He had to stall Zabuza for just a bit longer. Kakashi-sensei would deal with that masked man and he'd be here! He just needed to hold out hope.

"Ya know... You're _really_ fucking annoying, kid."

Naruto's gaze snapped up and he saw the sole of a boot near his face. His head snapped to the right as the taste of copper filled his mouth. He tried for a hasty retreat but stumbled from the blow to his jaw and was immediately launched into the air by another fierce kick.

Zabuza watched the young boy fly through the air before slamming into the ground rather harshly. His gaze remained apathetic as he watched the boy's chest heave heavily. While he certainly didn't mind beating up on some fresh Genin he did have _some_ standards.

"Ya got determination that's for sure." His eyebrow rose slightly as he watched the boy slowly struggle to his knees. "Why not just give up? Ya can't beat me, kid. You should leave while you're still alive."

Naruto groaned quietly before raising his bloody gaze towards the sword wielding man. He spit out a large wad of blood before slowly wiping his mouth. "Yeaaaaahhhh... No can do! I don't give up, never have and never will."

Zabuza was silent for several moments before slowly raising his massive blade and resting it against his shoulder. "I admire your guts, kid. It's too bad I'm gonna have to rip 'em out of ya."

The former Kiri Nin disappeared from his position and was in front of the blond teen a second later, swinging his massive cleaver towards the boy's skull.

Naruto's eyes widened from his kneeled position and he could nothing but stare at the steel blade that was an inch away from his head.

Was this really it? Was he _actually_ going to die here?

But...

There was to many things he had yet to achieve... So many things he had yet to say.

The world was so unfair...

Hadn't he suffered enough? He didn't wake up every day in that depressing and lonely apartment, go out and train until the moon rose, just to die on his first _real_ mission outside the village.

That... This wasn't fair!

Why?!

What did he do to deserve this?!

He treated _everyone_ with kindness! Even those who spit on him and spited his very existence! He helped people and did everything he could to make sure others didn't have to struggle like he did!

It's not fair!

Sakura... Sasuke... Kakashi-sensei...

They were a family now... _His_ family... And he was just going to die? Now?! He wouldn't even get to say goodbye to them!

He wouldn't get to say goodbye to anyone... Not to Ino, not to Hinata, and not to the Old Man...

All of his friends... They'd never speak again...

Life... It really was unfair wasn't it?

...

**"Show me that unwavering will."**

Naruto's eyes widened as a deep and menacing voice boomed from within the confines of his mind. The sound reverberated against his skull and his eyes instinctively snapped shut as a brilliant flash of white light exploded from his position.

He placed both of his palms over his ears and clenched his teeth together due to the ringing in his ears. The ringing was getting louder and louder and louder and showed zero signs of stopping.

What was happening?!

It abruptly stopped and Naruto sat motionless in his position. After several seconds of silence he slowly opened his eyes and the sight that greeted him would be etched into his mind for the rest of his life.

His cerulean orbs widened to an almost impossible degree as he stared at Zabuza's body... or what was left of him.

The man's arm and right torso were completely... gone. As if they had never existed in the first place. It looked as if an incredibly sharp blade had sliced the man down from a 45 degree angle. Starting from his skull and ending at his waist.

Zabuza wasn't even bleeding...

He was just... standing there...

Missing almost a third of his body...

Bile immediately filled his throat and the boy retched harshly onto the floor and immediately groaned in pain due to the wound on his stomach.

The blond haired teen struggled to hold himself up as he held his bleeding stomach with his left hand while propping his weight on his right hand. His eyes trailed up towards Zabuza's body and another wave of nausea hit him.

It was... gruesome and not so at the same time. Seeing a man almost cut in half but witnessing no blood...

It didn't make any sense!

Oh Kami, there it goes again...

The boy immediately vomited once more and almost fell into the substance due to his wound. He slowly pushed his body up before back pedaling away from Zabuza's body.

He backed up several feet and he felt his back make contact with a tree. The teen sighed in relief and shifted his position as carefully as he could. He hissed in pain and applied a decent amount of pressure to his wound.

Naruto closed his eyes tightly before tilting his head towards the branches and leaves of the tree he rested under. He groaned in pain for another minute before releasing a shaky exhale.

What just happened?!

He shook his head and refused to even look in Zabuza's direction. He completely ignored everything around him as he clenched his eyes shut.

That voice... an-and then the white light... Then Zabuza...

What the fuck was happening?! This couldn't be real!

Did he do that to Zabuza?! How?! What?!

"ZABUZA-SAMA!"

Naruto's thoughts were interrupted by the scream and his attention snapped towards the woman who was rushing towards his position.

Shit! He had to move! He couldn't sit here! That girl would surely kill him!

Naruto tried to stand to his feet but fell to one knee and cried out in pain. His teeth gnashed together as his eyes trailed towards his abdomen. Blood flowed out from the wound and Naruto grit his teeth in anger.

Not again! He ended up surviving Zabuza's attack, _somehow, _just to die a second later?!

His luck was being incredibly bi-polar!

"I'LL KILL YOU!"

Naruto closed his eyes and braced his body as the woman appeared in front of him with several senbon in her hands.

The cry of a thousand birds descended on his position followed by a sick squelching noise. Naruto felt warm liquid splash onto his face and he slowly opened his eyes and came face to face with Zabuza's apprentice.

The girl's mask slowly fell from her face as her long, black tresses fell from the small bun she kept it in. Her fierce black orbs began to slowly fade as a small amount of blood dribbled from her lips.

Naruto's gaze trailed down to the woman's chest spotting a black, fingerless gloved hand that was currently piercing the woman's chest. Residual Raiton Chakra sparked from the wound and the smell of burnt flesh invaded his nostrils. His eyes trailed past the girl's face and noticed his Sensei standing directly behind the woman.

The man's head band was raised revealing his matured Sharingan. He dawned a fierce expression on his face as he slowly ripped his hand out of the woman's chest.

Kakashi unceremoniously pushed the girl's body away from his student and immediately kneeled beside the blond teen, analyzing his wounds. His Sharingan roamed across every inch of Naruto's body before landing on his stomach.

"You ok, Naruto? Sorry I'm late..." The Jonin glanced behind him and stared at the motionless... body of Zabuza in confusion. His Sharingan roamed across every inch of the man's body as he tried to ascertain just what had happened.

But... he couldn't decipher anything. What happened to the man? A third of the man's body just appeared to... Not exist?

There was no blood and there was no tears or cuts on the missing... parts of the man's body.

It was as if those body parts had never existed...

Kakashi slowly turned his gaze back to Naruto before speaking slowly. "Naruto... What happened?"

**Break**

Naruto stared at the wooden ceiling of Tazuna's spare bedroom with a blank gaze. After everything that had happened today he just wanted to go back home.

It had only been 3 days from the start of this mission and his life had almost ended 4 times. That _had_ to be a record!

Who almost dies four times across such a short timespan?

The blond haired teen shook his head with a soft sigh and he idly rubbed the bandages that wrapped around his stomach.

Is this what he had wanted? He had always said that one day he was going to be a great Shinobi. A Shinobi that everyone would respect.

His dream of being the Hokage had died long ago. Not because he didn't believe it was possible or anything but because he realized that the job wasn't really for him. He had spent enough time around the Old Man to know that the job was...

Dull.

Paper work, meetings, playing nice with everyone.

That last one was probably the most annoying out of all of them. Naruto was far too blunt to 'play nice' with people. While he treated everyone with respect and spoke kindly to them, he didn't appreciate when others refused to return the gesture.

But that was life after all. People were entitled to their own opinions and if they didn't like you then you just had to deal with it.

"Hey Naruto, you ok?" The blond glanced to his right and noticed that Sasuke was sitting in his bedroll staring at him.

Naruto blinked several times before returning his gaze to the ceiling. "Ye-..." He cut his self off preemptively before sighing quietly. "No... I'm..."

Sasuke's eyebrows furrowed at the unfinished statement before he shifted towards his teammate. "Wanna talk about it?"

Naruto tapped his stomach softly before responding quietly. "When Itachi... Ya know... Uhh. How did you feel?" He glanced towards his teammate and noticed that the Uchiha possessed a blank gaze. "Err... You don't gotta answer or anything. Sorry... I'm just curious..." He finished lamely.

Sasuke stared at the Jinchuuriki for several seconds before his gaze strayed towards the window of the room. He stared at the moon for several moments before responding in a subdued tone.

"Angry... At first anyway... I hated him. There were nights I would lay awake for hours upon hours and envision myself killing him. It became an obsession. I knew that it was unhealthy but I didn't care... He had took _everything_ from me... I mean, am I wrong for hating him?"

Sasuke chuckled lightly but Naruto couldn't detect any humor in it. "But one day... I woke up and I was just..." The ebony haired teen was quiet for several moments before eventually speaking. "I was just sad..."

The Uchiha sighed softly before returning his gaze towards Naruto. "Sad that I'd never see my mom again. Sad that I'd never make my dad proud. Sad that Itachi did what he did." Sasuke leaned against the wall of the room before slowly closing his eyes. "I... don't hate Itachi anymore... I just get sad whenever I think about him."

Sasuke shook his head with a heavy sigh. "I always question 'Why me? Why leave me alive?' I won't ever get an answer until I speak with him face to face... But that day isn't any time soon. I know I'm too weak to even be a _challenge_ to him. But... one day. One day I'll get an answer."

Naruto stared at his friend for several minutes before smiling. "Thanks... Sasuke."

The aforementioned teen turned towards his friend in confusion. "For what?" Why was Naruto thanking him? He didn't do anything.

Naruto placed both of his hands under his head before closing his eyes. "I doubted myself for a second... I... I don't think I'm cut out for the Shinobi life..."

Naruto's confession absolutely floored Sasuke. Naruto _doubting _himself? That sentence didn't even make sense! Naruto wasn't an arrogant individual or anything of the sort, but he had never shown himself as a person that was capable of doubting their ability.

To hear that the boy was doubting his ability to be a Shinobi was...

"Are you serious?"

He couldn't be. This _had_ to be some sort of joke! Naruto was surely screwing with him. He was the one that was always spouting off that he'd eventually be one of the strongest Shinobi under Konoha. Always yelling about how he'd never give up and always pushing others to follow their goals and dreams.

The blond teen grimaced at the sheer disbelief in Sasuke's tone. "Ye-yeah..." Naruto chuckled slightly as he continued. "I mean, I'm always the one who tells people that anything is possible as long as they try hard enough... Weird how dying can change your viewpoint on life, huh?"

Sasuke didn't laugh at the poor attempt of a joke. Which didn't really surprise Naruto.

"You're gonna give up? Just like that? Really?!"

Naruto flinched at the boy's questions before staring at his bandaged stomach. His eyes narrowed in sadness before he responded. "I... I would have died today Sasuke... There was nothing I could have done..."

Sasuke scoffed in disbelief before responding. "But you're _alive_... It may have been luck but you're still alive. That counts for something. You're telling me that you're going to let one near death experience change your entire outlook on life? Really? C'mon Naruto. Don't be stupid."

Naruto sighed quietly before slowly shifting in his prone position. He slowly rose to a seated position and placed his head against the wall. "Why do you care what _I _do with my life?"

The Uchiha glared at the boy before speaking. "Because we're family now, you idiot... Did Sensei's words go in one ear and slip out the other? Something like that affects all of us."

Naruto was quiet for several moments before a small smile formed on his face. "If everyone back home could hear you now.." Naruto chuckled loudly as Sasuke shot him an annoyed glare. "I said I wasn't cut out being a Shinobi, not that I'd give up actually _being_ one. I'm still gonna be here... _Someone_ has to be better than you at all times after all."

Sasuke rolled his eyes at the boy's response before a small smirk formed on his face. Naruto laughed quietly as Sasuke joined shortly after.

**Break**

Kakashi idly read his book as he stood in a tree overlooking Gato's headquarters. It had been three days after the fight that Team 7 had with Zabuza and underlings. During this time Kakashi had his students rest with light activity. The only individual not participating was Naruto due to his injuries.

The boy would be fine eventually but Kakashi didn't wish for the boy to tear open his wounds... again. While he may heal _incredibly_ fast due to his tenant Kakashi wanted the punishment from Hiruzen to be lighter than it already was.

If Naruto returned relatively unharmed then all was fine. Kind of.

Kakashi sighed quietly and turned the page of his book. This mission was a disaster and it was sheer luck that everyone had survived.

Team 7 was... not prepared for this mission. And that wasn't truly anyone's fault. Kakashi would have never suspected that there would be two Jonin level Shinobi along with three Chunins.

A C-Rank escort mission in all but title. How his team got roped into this borderline S-Rank mission was beyond him. Tazuna was mostly to blame for this but Kakashi wouldn't place the entire load on the man's shoulder.

Afterall, he did choose to continue the mission. While everything turned out to be ok, kind of, it didn't change the fact that everyone could have died as well.

Kakashi continued to read his book for several more moments before abruptly shutting it. He slowly rolled his neck before placing his index and middle finger together. Two Shadow Clones appeared beside the man and began to rapidly run through handseals.

**"Katon : Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"**

**"Futon : Daitoppa!"**

Both clones released their jutsu's at the same time. The two elements coalesced into one another as a large tornado of fire descended onto Gato's base. An enormous explosion of fire shot out from the attack, dousing everything it touched in a sheen of white fire.

The real Kakashi placed both of his hands in his pockets and watched the chaos with a small amount of satisfaction. He spotted several individuals on fire who were running around while screaming due to the pain of having their flesh roasted.

Such a grizzly sight would make any normal person cringe. But not Kakashi. He had seen alot worse and experienced alot worse. This was just another day. He had lived through war. Watching people he grew up with die and being helpless to aid them. He had even killed his own teammate and bestfriend during the war.

This was... nothing.

The silver haired Jonin slowly turned away from the large base that was engulfed in flames and began to make his way back to Tazuna's house.

Kakashi just wanted to go home now. Team 7 deserved a break. _He_ deserved a break.

**Break**

The sound of flesh impacting on flesh was heard as two individuals sparred against one another. A small group overlooked the one sided spar as they silently watched the two clan members trade blows with one another.

Pale, white eyes that lacked pupils stared into a similar set of white eyes. The two brunettes shifted their position before rushing towards one another. Their hands darted in out and of each other's defense as they looked for any openings to disable their opponent.

The younger girl cried out in pain as her partners palm crashed against her collar bone. Saliva launched from her mouth and she was unable to block the follow up blow to her jaw. The small girl crashed into the ground with another cry of pain as her aggressor retreated.

The male teen sympathized with his cousin but there was nothing he could do. He had been ordered to go all out against Hanabi. Neji resisted the urge to frown as he heard his uncle tell the girl to get up.

"Again."

Neji's fingers curled in agitation before relaxing and settling into the Hyuga's Juken stance. He had been sparring with Hanabi for the last 4 hours with no breaks. The girl could barely even hold her arms up and it was clear to him that she was fighting on pure will power.

"Get up, Hanabi. Again." Hiashi's cold voice demanded from the sidelines. The other onlookers hid their disapproval with a neutral gaze but did not speak against the man. They would be punished if they showed their disapproval.

Hanabi groaned quietly before slowly rolling on the ground. Her torso lay flat against the dirt and she slowly pushed her body up. Her face contorted into a grimace as she rose to a knee before sloppily settling into the Juken stance.

Hanabi's arms shook as one of her eyes closed. Her chest heaved several times as she desperately tried to calm her breathing. She could see Neji's blank facade start to crack and she immediately rushed towards him to prevent it from happening.

If Neji showed displeasure then her father would punish him. Hanabi didn't want Neji to get punished because of her.

"That's enough!"

Neji released a sigh of relief as a stern feminine voice resounded through the small clearing. His Juken stance slowly disappeared and he immediately caught his younger cousin who promptly passed out into his arms. He stared at Hanabi for several seconds before shifting his gaze to the woman who had spoke.

Hinata slowly entered the training grounds with her hands in her jacket. She wore a pair of black spandex shorts that only covered the bare minimum of her legs and her purple jacket was fully unzipped revealing the mesh bra she wore under it. Her entire outfit did little to hide her modesty as she slowly walked towards her father.

The girl's gaze roamed over each of the members in the clearing before landing on her father. She stared into the man's eyes for several seconds before scoffing in annoyance and speaking to her cousin.

"You and Hanabi are dismissed for the day." The navy haired girl nudged her head towards the entrance of the training grounds before continuing. "The rest of you are dismissed. Leave. _Now._"

Neji shifted Hanabi's body before hooking his arms under her knees and carrying her out of the field. He slowly passed by Hinata before nodding in gratitude. The woman said nothing and held her annoyed gaze but she returned her cousin's nod.

Every Hyuga in the training grounds besides Hiashi immediately left the clearing. Several minutes passed by in silence as daughter and father stared at one another.

Hiashi's blank gaze meeting Hinata's annoyed one as both Hyugas remained silent. Neither one wishing to address the other, believing it to be a sign of weakness. It was eventually broken by Hiashi who grew tired of the girl's gaze.

"You coddle the girl too much."

Hinata raised an eyebrow at her father's statement before rolling her eyes. "Hanabi is not Neji. They are not the same person. Surely your immense and immaculate intellect are capable of comprehending this, yes?" The woman's tone was heavily dosed in condescension and it caused a frown to form on the man's face.

"Your disrespect continues to amaze me. Just like your mother, you lack poise and proper etiquette."

Hinata snorted at the man's insult before waving it off. "Yeeeeesssssssssss... Let me take advice from the man who treats his family like slaves." The girl rolled her eyes dramatically before continuing. "Mother was weak. Do not compare us, Hiashi."

Hiashi's temper flared and his visage shifted angrily. "You _shame_ the Hyuga and its traditions! I will _not_ stand for this disobedience and disrespect any longer!"

A small smirk formed on Hinata's face as she replied. "Then sit." The girl turned on her heel before walking away from the Patriarch of the Hyuga. Her left hand rose from her jacket pocket as she waved behind her dismissively.

Hiashi's teeth gnashed together in anger as he stared at his daughter's retreating form. She had changed heavily once Hizashi died. Growing more and more bold and crude with each day that had passed. Going so far as to completely ignore his demands and orders and even _insult_ him!

She disobeyed when he had ordered her to stay away from the Jinchuuriki, she dismissed his teachings and insulted him at every turn, and disrespected each elder on the council.

If it wasn't for her immense talent then she would have already been branded. Hiashi _loathed_ to compliment his daughter but the girl was incredibly skilled.

Hinata could easily go toe to toe with Neji and showed no signs of struggle like Hanabi would. The girl was deserving of her title as the top Kunoichi of the rookies and she would remind him of that at every turn.

Hiashi shook his head before leaving the training grounds and heading towards his personal quarters. Hinata was unwilling to listen to him and she probably never would. She saw him as a nuisance and he highly doubted that would ever change.

**Break**

"C'mon mom! It was just one time! It won't happen again... Promise!" A young woman's voice pleaded.

"Ino! You can't invade the minds of other Yamanakas! It's... It's highly disrespectful! You're grounded."

Ino slumped to the floor dramatically as her mother's eyebrow twitched in annoyance. "Why?! Why do you hate me?!"

Saya sighed heavily before shaking her head in annoyance. "I don't hate you Ino-chan. Stop being dramatic." Her brown tresses swung side to side as her daughter groaned loudly.

"How can you ground a Kunoichi?! I got missions to do. That's... that's like treason, mom!" Ino rolled into her back and stared into her mother's eyes before a small smile formed on her face. "Hokage-sama will _punish_ you."

Saya's eyebrow twitched in annoyance as the girl's suggestive tone regarding Hiruzen 'punishing' her. "I doubt Hokage-sama can get _it_ up anymore. Dont start with me Ino."

Ino cackled loudly from her prone position before pointing at her mother's face. "Is that a blush? Oooooohhhhh~! Someone has the hots for old men."

The older woman's hands clenched and unclenched as she resisted the urge to strangle her daughter. Kami, the girl was so much like her it annoyed her! Who's daughter was this?! Saya was ready to put the girl up for adoption.

"You're grounded. Which ultimately means you can't bother Naruto-kun." Satisfaction spread through Saya's body as Ino recoiled as if she had been slapped.

"WHAT?! THAT'S NOT FAIR!"

Saya rolled her eyes before crossing her arms under her bust. "Sounds like a personal problem."

"THAT'S CUS IT IS!"

Despite the situation, a snort of laughter escaped Saya. "Well, maybe next time you'll think twice about invading people's minds."

Ino groaned loudly from her position on the floor before rolling around like a child. Her skirt rolled up revealing her... Saya immediately looked away with an annoyed sigh.

Atleast wear _something_ under the damn thing. Why go commando with a skirt?! Who does that?!

Well, she did on occasion...

Ino _really_ was her daughter. The girl was still annoying though and nothing would change it.

"If you're going to wear that horrendous skirt then wear something under it."

Ino ceased her childish antics before glancing towards her mother. "Underwear is sooooooooo annoying."

"Wear a thong."

Ino dismissed her mothers statement instantly. "Thongs ride up my ass to much. I'm not into butt stuff like you and daddy are. Thanks, but no thanks."

A dash of pink actually formed on Saya's face as she stared at her daughter. "Th-there is nothing w-wrong with experimenting!"

Ino snickered quietly as she slowly sat up while adjusting her skirt. "I didn't say that... I just think it's interesting that daddy is the one who is experi-"

The blond teen was incapable of continuing due to her mother slapping her hand over her mouth. Saya's face was red with embarrassment as she spoke quietly. "_Stop talking._"

Ino just smiled in amusement while nodding her head.

Like daughter, like mother...

Or whatever the saying was.

**Break**

Naruto sighed in relief as he stepped through the large gates of Konoha. His hand rested against his abdomen as he stared at his Sensei.

"You all can go rest... I'll take the brunt of Hokage-sama's fury. You guys get three days of rest and then it's back to business. That means _you_, Naruto. Don't aggravate your wound. It's healing fine but let's not get carried away."

Naruto nodded his head at the Jonin with a smile. The man stared at him for several seconds longer than necessary before disappearing in a shunshin.

"I'll see you guys later! While I'd love to hang out, I kinda wanna see my mom and dad..." Sakura's tone shifted towards the end as she realized exactly what she had said.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow before shrugging his shoulders. "It's fine, Sakura." The pink haired girl smiled in relief at the boy's statement before glancing at Naruto.

The blond Jinchuuriki smiled at the girl while lightly patting his bandaged stomach. "It's all good. Sasuke and I weren't gonna do much anyway."

The Uchiha placed his hands in his pockets before nodding. "I wanted to train a little more but Naruto can't really spar..." He trailed off as Naruto adopted an overdramatic pout. "You're so annoying."

Sakura smiled at the two teen's before giggling softly. "You're like brothers... I'll see you guys... tomorrow?" She questioned unsurely.

The two males glanced at one another before shrugging and responding in unison.

""Sure.""

They instantly glared at one another after their shared statement.

""Stop copying me!""

Sakura groaned loudly before walking away. "You two are too much... Get along."

The two teen's sighed in annoyance as Sakura walked away. Sasuke and Naruto glanced at one another before wordlessly walking towards their home.

The journey was made in comfortable silence as both teen's relished in the peaceful atmosphere.

Well, that wasn't entirely true.

A majority of the villagers they passed by would glare at Naruto and in turn, Sasuke would return their gestures.

It had been this way for years and Sasuke doubted it would change any time soon. The populace disliked Naruto's very existence and the boy was unable to do anything about besides smile and ignore them.

He didn't understand how they could blame Naruto for the Kyuubi's deeds. They weren't even the same thing. While Sasuke understood that many, many, _many_ people lost their lives that night... It wasn't Naruto's fault.

Maybe Naruto was just a reminder of that fateful night... It still didn't mean that he deserved this treatment.

"It's fine, Sasuke. I'm used to it." Naruto shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.

The raven haired teen scoffed while placing his hands into his pockets. "Doesn't mean it's okay."

Naruto nodded his head at the statement. "Yeah, but you can't change things instantly. Sometimes it takes time for people to change. It was the same for you, right?" Sasuke rolled his eyes and didn't reply but he did nod his head.

The two teen's reached their destination shortly afterwards and began to make their way up the stairs leading to their shared apartment. Naruto slowly followed after Sasuke not wishing to aggravate his wound.

The blond teen threw his key towards Sasuke who caught it without looking. The Uchiha placed the key in the door before opening it and walking inside. He pocketed the key before kicking his sandals off and making his way towards his personal shower without speaking.

Naruto slowly removed his jacket before slipping off his boots and heading to his own shower. He really didn't want to rewrap this wound...

Ugh... Life was so hard!

He opened the door before turning on the light. He unbuttoned his pants before closing the door behind him and turning on the shower. Water slowly filled the tub and Naruto stared at the water with a blank gaze.

Images of Zabuza's body flashing through his mind as a small frown formed on his face. When Kakashi had asked what had happened he told the man the truth.

That... he didn't know what had happened.

There was a deep, menacing voice followed by a flash of light...

**_"Show me that unwavering will."_**

Was this the Kyuubi's doing? If so, then why?

Naruto slowly removed the bandages from his abdomen before removing his boxers. He slowly made his way towards the tub before gently sitting down. He hissed in slight pain as the hot water made contact with his wound. A bit of blood seeped through the wound but it wasn't too serious.

Naruto slowly raised his hand out of the water and stared at his palm. He stared at the odd discoloration that had appeared after Zabuza's death.

Was this connected to what had happened with Zabuza? It had to be. He didn't possess this odd mark before Wave and if he had, then he'd never noticed it before. Which he found to be unbelievable.

It was even shaped weirdly... Like a square...

Naruto idly washed his hair as he contemplated everything that had happened in Wave.

Almost dying, liberating an entire country, his first A-Rank borderline S-Rank mission... Kami he hoped this didn't become a trend.

But that would just be wishful thinking.

**AN: LUL. Had to be done. So yes, welcome to Wishful Thinking. I've laid out a decent template for you all and you're welcomed to comment your theories and such.**

**ALSO****! ITS MY BERFDAI TODAY! :D**

**FeelsBirthdayMan!**

**Review, Favorite, and Follow. Until next time nerds. **


	2. Lovely Rivalry

**AN: Sup idiots! We back (:**

**In the time since I've last updated this story, I've finished Age Is But A Number and uploaded a new story.**

**(You should go check it out. You might like it. It's called Mirror on the Wall.)**

**Join the bloody damn Discord Server. Invite code is StPc5V**

Disclaimer : NF - PAID MY DUES

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"You seem pretty distracted today Ino... Something on your mind?"

The blonde teen blinked at the question before turning towards the person who had spoken to her. She spotted Shikamaru who was leaning on the tree that she was resting her back against.

Was she being _that_ obvious?

"Yes, yes you were." The Nara sighed tiredly before slowly sinking to the ground beside her. "So... Talk. What's up? You aren't ever this quiet." His eyes pierced directly into her with a gaze that only a Nara could produce.

Ino avoided the boy's gaze before slowly wringing her hands together anxiously.

Her actions caused Shikamaru to frown in concern. Ino was never one to be anxious and was rarely ever so... pensive.

What had happened? She was fine just a few days ago...

The girl's expression shifted multiple times before she eventually sighed. "I uh... Well." She trailed off quietly as she tried to gather her thoughts.

Shikamaru did not speak as he allowed the girl the time she desperately needed. After a few moments of silence the girl blurted out what was on her mind.

"Naruto is back in the village..."

The lazy Nara raised an eyebrow before shrugging his shoulders. "Ok...? What's the significance?"

Ino seemed to shrink in on herself as her fingers restlessly glided atop her purple skirt. "He... almost didn't come... back." She finally answered simply.

Shikamaru blinked at the response before finally understanding why Ino was so troubled.

This...

"How do you know that?" He already knew the answer but Ino had to keep talking or she'd curl up on herself. He didn't need her avoiding the subject now that she had finally addressed it.

"I'm the 'Gossip Queen' Shika... Everyone knows this. I know things that I probably... _shouldn't_." The girl's expression changed for a slight moment as she dawned a small smile. It disappeared soon after though.

"Apparently he and his team were ambushed during their escort mission... Things went south and never really seemed to change." She sighed quietly before gliding her hands through her ponytail. "Naruto fought a Jonin by himself to buy enough time for Sasuke and Sakura... I'm not really sure what happened afterwards but I know that Naruto almost... died."

There was a brief moment of silence that followed before Ino spoke again, only this time it was in a far softer tone. "What if he had died Shika? I-I... He wouldn't ever know how I'd feel about him..." Unshed tears formed in the girl's eyes as she turned towards Shikamaru with a pained expression. "Give me some advice! Or something! Please..."

Shikamaru swallowed quietly before avoiding the girl's expression. He was silent for several long seconds before he eventually sighed while closing his eyes.

She probably wasn't going to like his answer but it was the only way he'd really get through to her.

They were Shinobi...

"Ino..." He started softly. "We're _Shinobi_... This is our reality. There's nothing I can say that will help you nor is there anything I can do for you."

His eyes remained shut as he avoided the girl's hurtful expression. He proceeded to cross his arms behind his head before sighing quietly.

"We take a mission and we either complete it and come back home or we die trying... To not accept this is... unrealistic. Our culture is fantasized for the wrong reasons, Ino." He finally opened his eyes as he glanced at the girl who was now crying quietly.

Tears slowly slid down the girl's face as she stared at the ground with a conflicted expression.

A prick of pain entered his chest at her expression and he released another sigh. "Listen Ino..." The girl did not turn towards him but he knew she was listening. "I'm not saying that you should always _expect_ those you care for to not return but it must always be in the back of your mind."

He shifted his position and slowly reached his hand over to the girl before wrapping it around her shoulder. He patted the girl's shoulder as he spoke quietly.

"Instead of thinking of 'what ifs' why not just 'do'?" At her questioning gaze he sighed quietly. "We're Shinobi and our future is never guaranteed... You should be spending what little time you probably have with the ones you love, trying to make the most of it."

Ino stared at the boy for a moment before returning her gaze to the ground. She gently wiped her eyes before breathing in heavily.

Shikamaru was absolutely right... S-so what if Naruto almost died? He was still _here_...

She needed to see him.

Now.

The girl bounced to her feet with renewed vigor before unwinding her ponytail. She ran her fingers through her long locks before shaking her head, allowing the strands to fall past her shoulder. She wiped her eyes once more before slapping her cheeks with her hands.

"You're right Shika! I uh... Do I look okay? You think Naruto will like it?" She glanced towards her hair before shaking her head. "Who cares? Thanks Shika..."

A genuine smile formed on her face as Shikamaru smirked up at the girl. "No problem... troublesome girl."

The blonde teen laughed merrily before rolling her eyes. "Maybe one day some girl will think the same about you, hmm?" She winked at thehe boy who only rolled his eyes in response.

"Riiiiiiiight..." He trailed off quietly. "Let's go with that. Now, run along. You're taking up my scheduled nap time."

The girl responded by sticking out her tongue blowing a raspberry at the boy. She laughed at his annoyed expression before choosing to skip away from the boy.

**Break**

Ino slowly strolled through the forested path that led to Team 7's training grounds. She hummed quietly to herself as the large clearing finally came into view. There was a brief moment of silence that resonated in the large clearing before she heard the sound of two males yelling at one another.

"YOU CAN'T DO THAT! THAT'S CHEATING!" That was definitely Naruto.

"SHOW ME THE RULES THEN YOU IDIOT!" And that was certainly Sasuke.

An amused smile pulled at her features as she slowly walked further into the training grounds, listening to the two teen's yelling at one another.

"YOU CAN'T STACK A 4 ON A 2! THAT'S NOT HOW IT WORKS!"

"SAYS WHO?!"

"SAYS THE DAMN RULEBOOK, YOU STUPID BASTARD!"

"WHAT KIND OF _LOSER_ READS THE RULEBOOK?!"

"I DO!"

Ino giggled quietly before finally reaching the source where all of the yelling was resonating from. She saw Sasuke and Naruto glaring at one another while their foreheads were clashing together.

Her gaze traveled towards Sasuke for a brief moment before taking in Naruto's form. He had abandoned his black jacket and was now wearing a collared t-shirt that was unbuttoned, allowing her to see the bandages that were wrapped around his abdomen.

A small frown formed on her face for a brief moment before she shook it off. A small smile appeared on her face as she spotted Sakura. The girl was laying on the grass while reading a book, completely ignoring her male teammates.

Ino walked closer to the group, finally spotting what was making both boy's scream at one another. There was an assortment of cards that were splayed out on the grass.

There were symbols on some of the cards, with each symbol being a specific color. The other cards all possessed numbers and went from 0-9 with each of those various cards being a different color. Blue, red, green, and yellow.

"THIS IS WHY I HATE PLAYING UNO WITH YOU! YOU DON'T FOLLOW THE DAMN RULES!" Naruto pushed Sasuke's head back with his forehead as he glared at him.

Sasuke was not one to give up so easily and retaliated in a similar manner as Naruto.

"WHOEVER MADE THE DAMN RULES IS STUPID! WE'RE SHINOBI! WHAT ARE RULES?!"

Ino watched them argue for another few moments before shaking her head with a smile. She made her presence known by leaping towards her crush while yelling.

"Heeeeeeeeeey~!" She was airborne for a few seconds before Naruto scrambled to catch her. His arms wrapped around her lower back and he shifted his position so that he fell onto the ground with her sitting atop his abdomen.

The Yamanaka glanced down at her crush before offering him an innocent smile. "Hiya Naruto!" She made sure to put all of her weight on her knees so as to not cause any pain or discomfort to his stomach.

Naruto's hands gently caressed the girl's hips before he furrowed his eyebrows. He stared into Ino's eyes for a few moments before frowning. "Are you ok, Ino?"

The blonde blinked in surprise at his question before she covered it up with a small smile. "I am now..." When his expression deepened, she shook her head with a soft smile. "I promise..."

Naruto said nothing for several moments before nodding his head. He squeezed her hips before slowly raising his upper body off the ground. Ino did not bother getting off of the boy, resulting in her literally sitting in his lap.

He shifted her position to make himself more comfortable before glancing at the girl. "Why'd you change your hairstyle?" He asked curiously.

Ino wrapped an arm around the boy before glancing at her hair. "Decided to spice it up a bit... Why? Do you not like it?" She gazed at the boy with a saddened expression.

Naruto shook his head rapidly as he answered. "N-no no no. I uh... I like it. It's uh... You look good." He smiled as the girl blushed heavily while looking away.

The sound of a whip snapping was made by Sasuke who was smirking at Naruto. The blond Jinchuuriki stared at his friend with an annoyed expression before shaking his head.

Sakura slapped Sasuke's knee before she slowly rose from her prone position. "C'mon Sasuke... I'm kind of hungry. Let's go eat." She not too subtly demanded.

The Uchiha glanced at his female teammate for a moment before shrugging his shoulders. There would be plenty of time to annoy Naruto with this later.

He slowly rose to his feet before placing his hands into his pockets while smirking. "Sure... Let's leave the lovebirds alone. I'm sure they'll appreciate the alone time, hmm?" He ended his sentence with a suggestive tone before chuckling at their embarrassed expressions.

Sakura slapped Sasuke's arm before pulling him away from the two blonds to allow them some alone time. The pinkette glanced over her shoulder before smiling at Ino who returned the gesture with a nod of her head.

Sakura continued to drag Sasuke away from the couple before releasing his arm once they were a sufficient distance away.

"Why do you bother them so much?" She questioned curiously.

The ebony haired teen blinked at the question before glancing towards Sakura. He stared into her eyes for a second before shrugging his shoulders. "Naruto deserves to be happy... Ino can provide that."

The girl raised an amused eyebrow as she nudged his ribs with her elbow. "Awwwww~! Look at you! You do care. So sweeeeet." She lightly teased.

The reaction she received completely surprised her though.

"Of course." The teen's statement was soft and gentle, completely opposite from his usual personality.

Sakura was well aware that Sasuke was a different person behind closed doors and only truly showed his real self to Naruto but...

The way he had said that statement and the look in his eyes...

It was familiar.

A little too familiar, in her opinion...

The pinked haired teen was silent for a moment as she studied the boy's soft expression. It took longer than she would have liked but she eventually deciphered what she was seeing.

And that surprised her like no other.

"Uhh... Sasuke are you... Erm." She struggled to voice her thoughts as the boy stared directly at her.

Sasuke raised a curious eyebrow before placing his hands into his pockets. "Am I what?" He questioned lightly.

The pink haired teen struggled for an entire minute before inhaling deeply. "Do you... _like_ Naruto?" She finally asked with a straight face.

The Uchiha blinked at the rather... odd question before glancing at Sakura with a confused expression. "Of course I do."

Sakura shook her head several times as her pink tresses swayed side to side. "No no no. Like... Do you _like like_ Naruto? Like... _More_ than a friend?"

Once again, the Uchiha stared at her with a confused expression. "Yes, I do."

His response completely floored Sakura as she slowed to a stop while staring at him. Sasuke paused after noticing her lack of movement before turning around to face her.

He took in her shocked expression before raising an eyebrow. "Uhh... You ok, Sakura?" He asked quietly.

Sakura was silent for several long seconds before shaking her head several times. She proceeded to slap her cheeks several times before staring into Sasuke's eyes.

"Wait! So, you're like... Gay?" She questioned bluntly.

Sasuke released one of his hands from his pocket before gesturing lazily. "Yeah."

The pink haired girl shook her head in disbelief before gesturing wildly with her right hand. "Why didn't you say anything?!"

The Uchiha blinked at the question before turning his head away from the girl and remaining quiet. He was silent for almost an entire minute before sighing with a forlorn expression.

"You try telling the leader of your Hidden Village that you're into the same sex... Kind of hard to repopulate an entire clan when you're a male who isn't attracted to women..." He trailed off quietly before shrugging his shoulders. "Also, because I don't think it's really _that_ big of a deal."

Sakura stared at Sasuke for several moments before speaking softly. "But... we're a family now, Sasuke... You could have told me. I wouldn't have judged you..." She possessed a slightly downtrodden expression on her face.

The last loyal Uchiha grimaced lightly before rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably. "If it makes you feel better you're the first person I've told... So, ya know..." He finished lamely.

She stared into his eyes with a surprised expression. "Naruto doesn't know?"

The ebony haired teen actually shrugged his shoulders. "I'm... not actually sure, to be honest. If I had to guess? Then... probably?" He finished unsurely. "Naruto and I are pretty close so he might suspect something but I'm not entirely sure."

Sakura had not expected this at all. This was so... Well, different. She didn't see Sasuke in a different light or anything but she was still surprised.

Now it all kind of made sense as to why Ino had stopped chasing after Sasuke when they were younger. The girl probably noticed right away that Sasuke wasn't into women.

And if Sasuke liked Naruto, who was definitelyly straight, it would only make sense that he'd want Naruto to find happiness.

Huh... Life has an interesting way of surprising you.

"Well! I think it's cool. It makes you more unique, ya know?" Sakura smiled gently. "Does anyone else know?"

The teen stared at her for a moment before shrugging. "I'm sure Kakashi-sensei had his suspicions and some of the girls like Ino and Hinata were kind of aware, though I never told them... Probably cus they were too busy ogling Naruto." He ended the statement with a small smirk as he pocketed his free hand.

Sakura chuckled lightly before offering the boy a gentle smile. "C'mon! I'm still hungry! Let's get some food!" The pink haired teen marched onward with a skip to her step.

Sasuke watched her for a moment before a soft smile formed on his face. He was glad that Sakura didn't judge him...

His ebony eyes glanced towards the sky as he reminisced on the memory of when he confided in his mother. She held a gentle expression and had rubbed his head while speaking softly. Uttering a sentence that would forever be ingrained in his brain.

_"I will always love you Sasuke... I'm happy that you know who you are, at such a young age as well. I will love you always."_

The boy wiped his eyes to prevent the tears that so desperately wished to fall and sighed quietly. It felt as if a large weight had finally been lifted off of his shoulders.

He followed after Sakura who began to lightly tease him due to his... infatuation with Naruto.

He could have done without that, though. Annoying girl.

But he wouldn't have it any other way.

**Break**

Naruto and Ino sat side by side on the edge of the lake as both blondes enjoyed the comfortable silence between them. A gentle breeze swept through the area, jostling Ino's tresses.

Ino glanced towards the boy who sported a soft smile on his face. A soft smile formed on her face as she pulled her knees towards her chest while wrapping her arms around her legs.

"So..." She started quietly. "I uh... Kinda heard what happened during your mission..." She trailed off with a frown as she turned away from the boy, not seeing how his features dipped downward. "I just wanted to... To... Uhh." She eventually trailed off quietly and curled in on herself, not able to confess her feelings for the boy.

Naruto glanced at the girl quietly as he took in her saddened expression. Assuming it to be because he had almost died, he reached over her shoulder before pulling her close and allowing her head to rest against his right shoulder.

She did not resist his gesture.

"Yeah, it was... kind of a disaster." He sighed quietly as he gently stroked the girl's shoulder. "Two Jonins and three Chunins, with one of those Chunins bordering on Jonin."

The Jinchuuriki shook his head as he felt the girl reach for his left hand while squeezing it tightly. "I uhh... Almost didn't make it."

He did not see how her eyes watered or how her expression shifted sadly. Her only response was to squeeze his hand even harder, hopefully conveying her concern to him without having to speak. Thankfully the boy seemed to understand and only rubbed Ino's shoulder soothingly.

Ino struggled greatly as she tried and tried and _tried_ to gain the confidence to tell the boy how she felt. But all of her bravado and self confidence was no where to be seen.

Why?

Why?!

It was so frustrating! Just say you like him! It isn't that hard!

ACK!

The girl grit her teeth as her eyes clenched tightly. Her grip on the boy's hand tightened for a moment before going slack.

_Coward__..._

What was the worst that could happen? He says he doesn't feel the same? It wasn't even that big of a deal...

Then why did the thought of him rejecting her sting so bad?

In the end, she remained a coward and did not choose to inform the boy of her feelings.

"So..." She started quietly. "When will you fully healed?"

Naruto smiled at the question before responding. "A few days at most. I can't wait! I'm so bored of sitting around and doing nothing. I got to get stronger! Can't do that when I'm laying around playing Uno with _cheaters_." He finished his statement with an annoyed tone, obviously referring to the situation with Sasuke and how he had _clearly_ cheated during their game.

You can't stack multiple draw cards that weren't the _same_ draw cards! It was just science! He was ruining the principal and sportsmanship!

Damn dirty Uchiha.

Ino giggled softly as she smacked the boy's knee softly. "C'mon now Naruto... Shinobi break the rules all the time."

Naruto turned his nose to the sky as he responded petulantly. "I don't care. He's a dirty cheater."

The blonde teen rolled her eyes with a smile before she felt as if someone was watching them. Her eyes narrowed before she turned her head slightly to the right to glance behind her.

She spotted someone who was standing about five meters away her and Naruto's position. Her eyes narrowed to slits as she recognized the individual who was spying on them.

Hinata Hyuga.

Her... rival.

The pale eyed beauty was standing atop the small hill overlooking the lake with her Byakugan active. Her hands were in her jacket pockets and her hair was gently swaying in the wind.

She sported a small glare on her face as her eyes seemed to glare into Ino's soul. The girl's upper lip was curled upwards, displaying her disgust and annoyance at the scene that she was staring at.

But not once did she move from her position. She was content to stay exactly where she was. Not moving and only staring at her and Naruto.

Ino returned the girl's glare with one of her own and her glare deepened as the girl's lips moved.

_"Time's up, little Yamanaka."_

Ino pursed her lips in annoyance before glancing towards Naruto who had yet to notice their little stare off. Unless he had noticed and just chose to ignore it.

He was weird when it came to their rivalry. Or perhaps he just played dumb so as to not direct their attention 100% on him and him alone.

Ino sighed quietly before rolling her neck and patting Naruto's knee to gain his attention. The boy glanced at her silently with a raised eyebrow.

"I got some things to do with Mommy today... Let me know when your Sensei wants to do joint sessions and I'll convince Asuma-sensei to join them." She smiled at the boy who in turn returned the gesture.

"Sure. I'll pass it along. Tell your mom I said hey."

Ino reluctantly pulled away from the boy and straightened her skirt out. She stared down at Naruto for a moment as she contemplated for the second time on whether or not to tell him how she felt.

She remained motionless for quite some time before clenching her fists tightly and sighing quietly. "I... uhh..." She trailed off quietly before shaking her head sadly. "I'll see you again soon, Naruto-kun."

The boy turned towards her retreating form with a concerned gaze before sighing quietly. "Of course, Ino-chan..." His gaze returned to the lake as he sighed quietly.

Ino cursed herself quietly as she slowly made her way towards Hinata's position. Her fists clenched tightly as she met the girl's glare with a vicious one of her own.

Apparently she managed to surprise Hinata with her actions because the girl relented with her heated stare for a single second. Favoring her with a simple raised eyebrow before her entire expression shifted.

Hinata dawned an arrogant smirk as she cocked her left hip out. "Awww~! You look so _cute_ with that angry expression on your face." Her left hand left her jacket pocket before gently stroking the blondes chin. "Chicken out again, did you? For shame Ino... You're better than that."

The Yamanaka's glare seemed to deepen at the girl's words and gesture. She slapped Hinata's hands away from her face with a scoff. "Like you're any better."

Hinata shrugged her shoulders and maintained her cocky smirk. "Ohh, but I am. You're too... What're the words I'm looking for...?" She rolled her left hand flippantly for several seconds before snapping her fingers together. "You're too much of a _pussy_." Her cocky smirk grew larger at the blondes annoyed expression.

Ino rolled her eyes before crossing her arms under her breasts. "I'll be sure to send you some of our sex tapes. You can enjoy seeing me riding him."

Hinata raised an eyebrow before scoffing. "Watch it there, Yamanaka. I might just liquefy your reproductive system."

The blonde rolled her eyes as she responded. "I'll fry your brain. Keep talking..." She warned lightly.

A smirk formed on the Hyuga's face as she gently patted Ino's cheek. "You're getting better at this. I'm _almost_ impressed. But you might want to try again later. _Byeeeee~_!"

Ino's teeth gnashed together angrily as the pale eyed beauty roughly bumped into her shoulder while walking passed her. She clenched her fists tightly as she resisted the urge to lash out. Taking in several deep breaths, she exhaled heavily before shaking her head and walking out of the clearing.

Hinata slowly approached her object of... obsession before stopping beside him. She did not sit down but she did glance towards him.

"Hinata-chan." He states with a smile. "How are you?" His cerulean gaze centered on her and she drank it in in its entirety.

"I am well though Hiashi continues to grate on my nerves." She pocketed one of her hands before inspecting her nails. "I heard some interesting... _information_ about your most recent mission."

Naruto grimaced at the girl's statement as her Byakugan manifested. Her blank gaze was absolutely terrifying.

"Care to explain, hmm?"

Naruto clawed the soil beneath his feet before laughing nervously. "I uhh. I don't know what ya mean, Hina... N-nothing happened. Hehe..."

Her blank gaze seemed to get even blanker...

How was that even possible?!

"Are you lying to me, Na~ru~to?" The pale eyed beauty bent her knees before gently grasping Naruto's chin and turning him towards her. "You know I hate liars."

Naruto laughed nervously before staring at the girl's perfectly manicured fingers. He swallowed audibly before slowly lowering his gaze to the ground. Due to his actions, he did not see Hinata's expression soften.

"Our mission went south _real_ quick... To make a long story short, I almost died fighting Zabuza Momochi." He sighed quietly and remained quiet, awaiting for Hinata's reaction.

He was surprised when instead of her usual anger, she gently stroked his chin before speaking in a tone that he seldom heard from her.

"But you are alive..." She stated quietly while continuing her gentle ministrations. "And yet, you believe that you don't deserve to."

Naruto grimaced at the girl's accusation before sighing. "Y-yeah... Yeah I do."

Hinata sighed quietly before dropping to a single knee. Her other hand came up to his face as she stroked his cheek. "Why? Have you lost your confidence? Have you given up on yourself?"

Her tone was not accusatory nor was it demeaning. So for that, Naruto appreciated it. Hinata had never been like with him but he had seen her do so with many others.

Naruto was quiet as he allowed the girl to gently stroke his cheek. His eyes narrowed as he sighed quietly. "I don't necessarily _doubt_ myself but... I don't know. I guess I finally got hit with a reality check, ya know?"

Hinata said nothing for a few moments before slowly taking her place on the boy's lap. Her knees rested beside the boy's thighs as she straddled him. She leaned her face incredibly close to his as she gently stroked his whisker marks. She took immense satisfaction in the way his eyes dilated and how his face grew a healthy shade of red.

It caused a small smirk to form on her face. Oh how she _loved_ teasing the boy.

"There is nothing wrong with that, Naruto. It takes a great deal of courage to admit your shortcomings... And now that you are aware of them, then you know what must be done, yes?"

Despite the situation and his embarrassment at her gestures, he nodded his head in agreement. "I just have to get stronger and make up for those shortcomings..."

Hinata smirked at the boy before leaning her face closer to his. Her nose lightly grazed his as his entire face was engulfed in a shade of ruby.

"Yes, yes you do." Her breath tickled his top lip as her eyes became half lidded. "Ya know~... You haven't been to the compound in awhile." Her index finger slowly crawled across his cheek before resting upon his lips. "Hanabi misses you... _I_ miss you... Are you not going to come visit us, hmm?"

Naruto swallowed heavily as the girl scooted further into his body. Her generous bust was now pressed against his torso and he could feel the girl's skin on his own. He swallowed once more before speaking nervously.

"I-I... Have been busy. I-I'll make sure to... to visit soon. Promise." He swallowed yet again as the girl's eyes narrowed.

Hinata was silent for several moments before nodding her head. She tilted her head up before planting a soft kiss upon his forehead. She pulled away with a small smirk before patting his cheek.

"See you then, Naruto-kun." She winked at the boy before slowly getting off of him and walking away with an extra sway to her hips.

The boy's gaze was centered on the girl's rear and he had no shame in admitting that. She had a _nice_ ass.

Naruto shook his head several times before wiping his face. Ino and Hinata were going to be the end of him...

It had been like this for several years and he doubted very much so that it would change. He played dumb when it came to their 'rivalry' but he was very much aware of what was going on.

His logic?

Ignore it until it can no longer be ignored.

Logical? Probably not and it would definitely implode on him eventually. He'd eventually have to choose between them and that...

That _scared_ him...

He shivered at the sheer _thought_ of such a thing occuring and just chose to push it to the back of his mind.

Naruto sighed lowly before turning his right palm over and spotting the symbol on his hand. He pursed his lips as he stared at the symbol.

He had yet to find out what it truly was.

He knew what it was on a base level and it was a seal of some sort... Similar to that of his own seal that held the Kyuubi, it was meant to hold something _in_ rather than out.

But he couldn't exactly _sense_ what that was. Unlike that of the Kyuubi who he could feel at all times, whatever was stored in the seal on his palm he could not sense.

Damn... Perhaps he should've asked Hinata to look at it with her Byakugan. Maybe she'd be able to find something that he couldn't see.

He narrowed his eyes before jumping to his feet and running off to catch up to her. He exited the training grounds before rushing off towards the girl. He ran for several minutes before finally catching up to the pale eyed beauty.

Hinata blinked as she felt Naruto place his hand atop her shoulder. She did not mind the fact that he spun around nor did she mind his touch. She welcomed it if anything.

"Hey Hina... I have a request." His eyes sought hers and she nodded her head with a raised eyebrow. "Can you use your Byakugan on me and see if you can find something... different about me?"

Hinata furrowed her eyebrows before shrugging her shoulders and doing as he had asked. The veins near her eyes became more pronounced as her eyes roamed across his body.

She spotted his own Chakra source and then immediately spotted the Kyuubi's Chakra source. She doubted that he was asking about that so she continued her search. It wasn't until her Byakugan traveled to his right hand that she found something... different.

What... What was that?

Hinata's head tilted with a curious expression before she grasped the boy's hand, pulling it closer to get a better look.

This... _thing _had it's own Chakra source... Which shouldn't even be possible. It was... impossible?

Her Byakugan deactivated as she stared at the odd _seal?_ that was planted on the boy's palm. Hinata rose her gaze to his before furrowing her eyebrows.

"Uhh... What _is_ that?"

Naruto stared into her eyes before adopting a conflicted expression. "I... I don't know. I got this during the mission in Wave." He stared at the mark with a frustrated gaze before shaking his head. "I uh... It saved my life... I think?"

"You think?" She questioned immediately with a narrowed gaze.

Naruto was silent for a few moments before narrowing his own eyes. "No... I _know_ it did. I didn't have this mark before Wave and when I almost died... A bright flash happened and then Zabuza was dead. It _had_ to be this... this thing. Whatever it is."

Hinata was silent for a few moments before speaking. "Have you informed Hokage-sama?"

Naruto shook his head with a soft sigh. "I'm pretty sure Kakashi-sensei informed him but I'm not entirely sure."

She was silent once more before shaking her head with a sigh. "Well, it has its own Chakra source. Similar to your... _tenant_, it is a separate entity. But it is not _alive_... I've never seen anything like it."

Naruto stared at the mark on his hand before sighing quietly. "Well I haven't been able to activate it since that day so..." He shook his head before smiling at Hinata. "Thank you, Hina. I appreciate the help."

The pale eyed Hyuga narrowed her eyes before grabbing the boy's collar. She tugged the boy towards her before resting her forehead against his.

"My services aren't free, Naruto-kun." She smiled as a glint surfaced in her pearly white orbs. "Sooo... You're going to join me, Hanabi, and Neji for dinner. Decline..." Her grip on his shirt tightened as Chakra formed on the tips of her fingers upon her free hand. "And you already know what will happen."

Naruto laughed nervously as the girl's Chakra laced fingers rested against his sternum. He slowly raised his hands placating the girl before swallowing.

"Th-that won't be necessary, Hina-chan... I don't mind having dinner. Haha... Please don't jab me."

A smirk formed on her face before she released the boy's shirt. "I'm glad you agreed. It would have been unfortunate if you declined... Because then I would have had to deactivate your tenketsu's and _drag_ you to the compound."

Naruto only smiled nervously at that. There wasn't much else that could be done. His fate was sealed.

Oh boy...

This was going to be a _looooong_ night...

**AN: EZCLAP****!**

**Ino's hairstyle is now what she has during _Naruto : The Last_. I think it's her best hairstyle and that's what we're using for this story.**

**Hinata is basically her _Road to Ninja_ counterpart in this story. Obviously there are some little changes but it's practically the same.**

**NOW! I don't hate Sasuke and I don't bash characters in my stories _ever_. Sasuke being gay has _absolutely nothing_ to do with my personal feelings regarding him. I made him gay to just be unique and different.**

**Alot of authors will make him gay as a means to bash him which I just find absolutely fucking stupid. There is nothing wrong with being homosexual and if you believe that there is, then you're a stupid fucking cunt and I hope you fall off a cliff.**

**Fuck you. **

**There's also a small hint as to who the third girl is in the harem. It's pretty obvious if you're actually searching for it.**

**But yeah! As always, Favorite, Review, and Follow! **


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